More than a dozen local athletes got a firsthand look at March Madness when the NCAA men's and women's basketball tournaments tipped off in arenas across the country. The men's tournament began Thursday, with the women following on Friday. Fenwick had three graduates participating in the two tournaments....

Must-see: Barrington's retooled lineup. After 15 years of knocking on the door, the Fillies finally broke through by defeating New Trier 1-0 in penalty kicks in the Class 3A state championship game last spring. The bad news for Barrington coach Ryan Stengren is he must replace half of his starting...

Must-see: For the second year in a row, Libertyville has a new coach. Kevin Thunholm led the Wildcats last spring after longtime coach Andy Bitta retired, and now Shannon Etnyre will lead the program. The Wildcats have five returning starters, headlined by Carthage College recruit Morgan Verbeten....

Must-see: Buffalo Grove junior infielder Riley Rundquist. The Bison set a new program record for winning percentage after going 29-5-1 last spring, but Prospect won the MSL East crown. Rundquist is among the returning position players, and Buffalo Grove also has six pitchers back from last season....

Must-see: Lake Zurich junior catcher Tyler Snep and sophomore shortstop Anthony Mangano. Both have orally committed to Iowa . Snep is coming off a big sophomore season in which he batted .398 with nine home runs and 40 RBIs. Mangano, a left-handed hitter, quickly established himself as a starter...

Stevenson graduate Jalen Brunson has been named the Big East men's basketball player of the year. The voting of the conference's coaches was announced March 7. Brunson, a junior guard, led Villanova to a 27-4 record, 14-4 in the Big East. He is averaging 19.0 points and 4.8 assists per game. Brunson...

The Stevenson boys basketball team fell one victory short of achieving a primary goal for this season. The Patriots lost to Fremd 55-41 on Friday in the Class 4A Buffalo Grove Regional final. "One of our goals at the start was to win a regional title, and we came up a little short," senior guard...

Trinity alumna Kaitlin Aylward, a sophomore center on the St. Francis (Ill.) women's basketball team, was recently named the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference Player of the Week. Aylward, an Elmwood Park resident, has earned CCAC weekly honors three times this season and also has been...

A case can now be made that Topher Stensby is the most accomplished boys swimmer in Stevenson history after he won two first-place medals at the state meet. The Stevenson junior won titles in both the 50- and 100-yard freestyle events Saturday at Evanston. He won in 20.18 and 44.57 seconds, respectively....

Emily Richardson came very close to throwing a no-hitter for the Valparaiso softball team on Feb. 10. A week later, she completed the feat. Richardson, a sophomore and Oak Park-River Forest graduate, threw her first collegiate no-hitter on Feb. 17 in a 3-0 victory against North Carolina Central....

Tom Stanhope has resigned from his position as the Stevenson girls tennis coach, the school announced on Wednesday. Stanhope had led the program since December 2009 after seven seasons as an assistant coach. Since he became the head coach, the Patriots have won seven sectional titles, six North...

Rolling Meadows sophomore Nicole Kane's near-perfect landing to cap her uneven bars routine was fit for a photograph. Once Kane's feet landed solidly on the mat and she raised up her hands, her megawatt smile marked the end of a long journey. Despite the odds, she finished that journey Saturday...

Sarah Mikrut Doyle wanted her team to soak in the moment Saturday at the girls gymnastics state meet at Palatine High School. The Carmel coach built the program into one of the best in the state during a wildly successful 11-year tenure that included three straight state titles before she stepped...

The Libertyville and Stevenson boys swimming teams are in position to contend for a state trophy after claiming some sectional hardware. The Wildcats won two relays en route to victory Saturday at the Lake Forest Sectional. Libertyville earned 234.5 points to edge the host Scouts (212) and third-place...

After facing the best competition the state has to offer, Markus Hartman and Riley Palm are still unbeaten. And now, they're state champions. Hartman, a Barrington senior, improved to 47-0 en route to winning the Class 3A 152-pound title Saturday in Champaign. He won a 2-0 decision against Montini's...

In her first time competing at the girls bowling state tournament, Jenica Baron felt a little different than she usually does when she bowls. The Barrington junior admitted that Day 1 of the state meet Friday at The Cherry Bowl in Rockford was a learning experience. "I was more excited than nervous,"...

When Sarah Mikrut Doyle agreed to take over the Carmel girls gymnastics program before the season began, she quickly re-established expectations for the Corsairs. The team's goal was clear from the start. "Our goal is to make it to the state meet every year," Mikrut Doyle said. "Regardless of the...

Will Jones, an Evanston alumnus and a senior on the Monmouth College men's basketball team, helped the Fighting Scots earn a share of the Midwest Conference regular-season title on Feb. 13. Monmouth, a Division III program, clinched at least a tie for first place in the MWC with an 82-60 win against...

The most notable part of Nicole Kane's clean routine Feb. 7 on the uneven bars is that it happened at all. The Rolling Meadows sophomore qualified for her second consecutive state meet by scoring a 9.425 on the bars, good for second at the Hoffman Estates Sectional. Not bad for a gymnast who broke...

After signing his national letter of intent on the morning of Feb. 7, Ryan Wittenbrink decided to celebrate. So he went out for breakfast with his family. Wittenbrink, a forward, officially signed to play college soccer at Indiana. The Hoosiers' six-man recruiting class was ranked No. 8 in the country...

The focus at the Class 3A Barrington Sectional last weekend was on individual wrestlers, not teams. Nevertheless, Libertyville and the host Broncos finished as the big winners. Barrington tied a 16-year-old program record with six state qualifiers, while five Libertyville wrestlers earned a trip...

Bradie Tennell fell in love with the music to her short program long before the Winter Olympics, when the young American figure skater didn't even know she would qualify. It's from the film "Taegukgi," a blockbuster in South Korea but hardly known back home. "One of my close friends used the music...

Jesse Compher, a freshman forward from Northbrook, has lit up the scoreboard lately for the Boston University women's hockey team. After scoring two goals in her first 22 college games, Compher scored six goals in a nine-game stretch from Jan. 7 to Feb. 6. After those nine games, she was tied for...

The signing period for football, soccer and men's water polo began on Wednesday. Below is a list of area athletes who are scheduled to participate in signing ceremonies today in these and other sports, according to their athletic directors. Barrington Alec Andrea, football, Illinois Markus Hartman,...

Bradie Tennell couldn't have picked more appropriate music for her free skate program. The 20-year-old Carpentersville native will take to the ice with music from the Disney movie "Cinderella," which fits her quite well considering her meteoric rise in figure skating. Tennell seemingly came out...

The Barrington wrestling team responded the only way it knew how. After being disappointed with a second-place finish at the Mid-Suburban League meet for the second year in a row, the Broncos made sure there would be no similar feelings Saturday at the Class 3A Dundee-Crown Regional. They dominated...

New Trier alumnus Ricky Samuelson, a senior guard on the Wheaton College men's basketball team, has been on a tear this season when shooting 3-pointers. Samuelson has connected on 57.1 percent of his 3-point attempts, which is the best percentage among all Division III shooters. He has made 48...

In Tom Whalen's eight seasons as the Prospect wrestling coach, he's watched as perennial powers Barrington, Conant and Wheeling have dominated the Mid-Suburban League meet. This year, even Whalen noted that Barrington was a favorite to win the meet, but the Knights turned in a complete team performance...

When asked what moment stood out the most from Lake Zurich's first competitive dance state title, coach Terri Johlie didn't hesitate. The Bears were sitting on the floor of Grossinger Motors Arena in Bloomington surrounded by their fellow Class 2A teams. When Lake Zurich was officially announced...

Mike Sutton could feel the energy in the room. He knew his Lake Zurich boys bowling team was due for a good day. The Bears had finished 12th out of 24 teams on Friday, the first day of the boys bowling state tournament at St. Clair Bowl in downstate Fairview Heights. That was just good enough to...

The BGHW hockey team is about as hot as can be. The Stampede, who draw players from Buffalo Grove, Hersey and Wheeling, recorded a 5-1 win against PREP on Thursday at the West Meadows Ice Arena in Rolling Meadows. PREP includes players from Prospect, Rolling Meadows and Elk Grove. Forward Paul...

Kenyon College freshman Caylee Hamilton, a Woodlands Academy graduate, was recently chosen as the North Coast Athletic Conference Swimmer of the Week. Kenyon, a Division III program, took down Oberlin 170-74 in a dual meet on Jan. 13. Hamilton, a three-time state qualifier at Woodlands, won two...

Bradie Tennell has made the drive from Carpentersville to Buffalo Grove hundreds of times. Her family moved to Cary in August 2016, but for about eight years, the 20-mile drive from her home to Twin Rinks Ice Pavilion became more common than a brisk walk to the corner store. Her mother, Jean Tennell,...

Kayla Morrissey, a senior forward on the Division III Grinnell women's basketball team, is closing out her college career in fine form. The Lyons graduate from Burr Ridge is pacing the Midwest Conference with 20.6 points per game, and she ranks second in rebounds with 8.3 per game. Morrissey has...

Two months ago, Stevenson senior forward Klaire Steffens was a mystery. As a junior, Steffens averaged 10.2 points and 5.5 rebounds per game, but that was when point guard Ashley Richardson handled the bulk of the pressure on offense. Richardson graduated, and how Steffens would fill her new role...

As of Friday, the Minnesota women's hockey team had cruised to a 16-5-2 record, with an impressive 10-0-0 mark away from home. A major reason for the Golden Gophers' success has been Loyola alumna and Lake Forest native Sophie Skarzynski. Through 23 games, the junior defenseman ranked second on...

Not much has changed lately for Libertyville's Drew Peterson. The senior guard/forward continues to receive plenty of interest from colleges — with 14 scholarship offers — and has been piling up awards. The 6-foot-8 Peterson was one of 11 players named to the Wheeling Hardwood Classic all-tournament...

The college football bowl season brought an end to another stellar year for graduates of high schools in the Pioneer Press coverage area. Here are some of the top local performers who contributed to winning efforts in bowl games. Love causes 3 breakups in Citrus Bowl Sophomore cornerback Julian Love...

Mirai Nagasu was fighting nerves. Karen Chen was fighting illness. Bradie Tennell fought them off to win the U.S. Figure Skating Championships women's title Friday night. Then they all cried. Rising star Tennell's near-perfect free skate earned her first national crown and almost certainly a spot...

Lake Zurich guard J.R. Cison didn't score in the first half of Friday's game at Lake Forest. The junior took over in the third quarter. "I just came out and I decided I was going to start attacking and see what I could get," Cison said. It was a good strategy. Cison scored seven points in the quarter...

A few dribbles into the lane, then a crossover. Finally, a fadeaway jumper that crisply swished through the net. Villanova point guard Jalen Brunson showcased a piece of what makes him a must-see player less than two minutes into the Wildcats' 103-85 win against DePaul on Dec. 27 at Wintrust Arena....

On one hand, Stevenson senior Kiana Cencula was more than comfortable at the start of her fourth varsity season. On the other hand, she was playing a different position than she had in her three previous seasons as a starter. Cencula had been a shooting guard during the tenure of All-Area point...

David Sachs, a Highland Park alumnus and a 6-foot-2 junior guard on the Wisconsin-Whitewater men's basketball team, has been an offensive force for the Warhawks in his first season with the team. Sachs played his first two seasons of college ball at Barry University in Florida. Through nine games...

Buffalo Grove's recent performance at the Rus Erb Invitational illustrated the program's progress under second-year head coach Kurt Kutska. Led by TJ West, the Bison collected five top-six medals and finished ninth of out 19 teams on Dec. 16 at Glenbrook South. Last year, the Bison placed 15th at...

It was the fall of 2016, and Trevor Hilt was gunning for a spot on Stevenson's varsity boys hockey team. Holt, a left wing and a junior at the time, had led the JV squad in scoring the previous season and was eager to embark on a new phase in his hockey career. Instead, the Patriots' coaches felt...

A number of college soccer players from local high schools were named United Soccer Coaches Division III All-Americans at the conclusion of the season. Mia Calamari, a senior midfielder from Barrington on the University of Chicago women's soccer team, was named a first-team All-American after a...

Many bloggers think they know college sports. Ben Weiss, who entered Northwestern casually blogging about Wildcats recruiting, may be on the verge of reinventing the recruitment of college athletes. The company he co-founded at Northwestern, Zcruit, allows college football programs to hone in on...

To hear some of the area's top football recruits tell it, the institution of an early signing period is an unquestioned positive. For years, basketball recruits have been able to chose between signing in November or April. Now, football players have two options as well. Maine South running back...

What a difference a year has made for the Stevenson wrestling team. Just ask junior Tommy Frezza or senior Muzi Sitshela. Frezza won a sectional title and qualified for the Class 3A state meet at 113 pounds last season, but his performance sometimes was overshadowed by the dominant Stevenson wrestlers...

The Stevenson boys basketball team is under construction. Just don't ask Stevenson coach Pat Ambrose when the revamped product will be complete. Shortly after Ambrose took over the head coaching job in 1999, the Patriots ascended to become one of the best programs in the state. Stevenson has not...

The North Central College men's cross country team clinched its 18th NCAA Division III national championship on Nov. 18 at Principia College, and Stevenson graduate Jared Borowsky led the way for the Cardinals. North Central came within five points of tying its own record for the largest margin...

The Buffalo Grove boys basketball team believes it has the talent to make this season a special one. And the Bison are working on their defense to turn that vision into reality. "It's a mentality for us," senior center Mac Camardo said. "We have a lot of scorers, and the scoring will come. But we...

Allie Nelson, an Oak Park-River Forest alumna and a sophomore libero on the Kansas women's volleyball team, was instrumental in the Jayhawks' 22-8 season. Nelson's 514 digs led the team, and her 4.36 digs per set ranked third in the Big 12 Conference. Nelson also tallied 80 assists on the year,...

Just about every high school football team tries to instill a sense of brotherhood, but the Maine South football program is particularly proud of its culture. "Once a Hawk, always a Hawk," said defensive backs coach John Cecchin, a 1989 Maine South graduate. "Born one, raised one, forever one." That...

Lake Zurich middle linebacker Jack Sanborn noted the significance of the date. So did his mother, Malinda Sanborn. Jack Sanborn pledged his commitment to Wisconsin football coach Paul Chryst on March 22. His father, Paul R. Sanborn, died on March 22, 2005. Jack Sanborn said he didn't plan for his...

On a cool night in Lake Forest, Jackson Qualley was about as hot as could be. The Stevenson senior made all five of his shots in the first half of the Patriots' 45-35 win against Lake Forest on Tuesday in the North Suburban Conference opener for both schools. Qualley finished with a team-high 14...

Watch below as Stevenson and Warren face off in a high school boys basketball matchup on Friday, Dec. 1. Tip scheduled for 7 p.m. Find and watch the best high school sports content live on The Cube. Follow your favorite schools in the area or around the country to get alerts anytime a sporting...

Expectations were high for Libertyville forward Ryan Wittenbrink entering this season after he scored 19 goals for the Wildcats as a junior in 2016. In spite of constant attention from defenders, the Libertyville resident took his game to another level this fall. Wittenbrink scored 39 goals and...

Matt Vear Lyons Goalkeeper Goals Against Average: 1.15 The 5-foot-11 senior helped the Lions to an 18-5-1 record and a spot in the Class 3A Hinsdale Central Sectional final, where they fell 2-1 to Morton. He finished with seven shutouts. When Vear helped Lyons beat Lake Park on penalty kicks on Sept....

St. Viator senior outside hitter Catherine Hickey wasn't always a standout athlete. A few years ago, Hickey was a regular freshman who struggled with simple tasks on the volleyball court. "Early in her career, she was awkward and growing into her body," St. Viator coach Charlie Curtin said via...

Catherine Hickey St. Viator Outside hitter Key stats/match: 13.4 kills, 7.1 digs, 1.8 aces, 0.5 blocks Hickey, a senior from Des Plaines, led the Lions to their first state appearance, which ended with a Class 3A fourth-place trophy. She put up solid numbers through her junior season, but elevated...

North Central College freshman Jared Borowsky had never heard of the school when he was looking to transfer from Colorado. Looking to get closer to home after a year in Boulder, Borowsky found a perfect match with the Cardinals. Borowsky finished second individually at Saturday's NCAA Division III...

Maggie Emary had a specific goal in mind at the girls state swimming and diving finals Saturday at New Trier. The Barrington senior had qualified for the final heat of the 500-yard freestyle. Her younger brother, Barrington sophomore Daniel Emary, had finished the same event in 4 minutes, 55 seconds...

Nick Rakocevic has no complaints about his life as a college basketball player. The 6-foot-11 Rakocevic, an inside-outside threat who usually comes off the bench, is trying to find his role for a USC team brimming with NBA prospects and national title aspirations. Rakocevic played in every game...

Must-see: Rolling Meadows point guard Max Christie. The freshman has never played high school basketball, but he is already receiving recruiting attention. He picked up a scholarship offer from DePaul coach Dave Leitao on Nov. 12. Christie is 6-foot-3 and is already an elite shooter. The Mid-Suburban...

Must-see: Libertyville senior Drew Peterson. The 6-foot-8 shooting guard has not chosen a college yet, but he has chosen to take an all-encompassing leadership role for the Wildcats this season. That includes scoring, rebounding and tenacious defense. "I'll be more aggressive to show leadership...

Before she played her first college basketball game, Lauren Prochaska got to be a world traveler with DePaul. The former Trinity guard spent more than a week with her new Blue Demons teammates in France in August 2014. NCAA regulations allow basketball teams one international summer tour every four...

Must-see: Prospect senior guard Emily Frasco. The UAB signee is slated be the Knights' go-to player in her fourth varsity season. The 5-foot-11 Frasco averaged 11.8 points per game and shot 45 percent from the field last season. "She has a nice shot and the ability to drive and get herself some...

Simmie Cobbs Jr., a redshirt junior wide receiver on the Indiana football team, was has been named to the Biletnikoff Award Watch List. It is the second year in a row the Oak Park-River Forest graduate earned the honor. The annual award is given to the nation's best wide receiver in college football....

Athletes from several local schools are scheduled to take part in signing day ceremonies on Wednesday, the first day of the early signing period for most college sports. Barrington Sara Amano, women's tennis, Grinnell* Kristofer Casey, men's lacrosse, Furman Eryn Cooley, women's hockey, St. Thomas...

Rarely has Barrington had a boys cross country runner like Nick Laning. Laning ended his senior season with a state medal Saturday at the Class 3A state meet at Detweiller Park in Peoria. Laning completed the 3-mile race with a personal-record time of 14 minutes, 38 seconds. He finished seventh...

The Buffalo Grove football season ended on Saturday, but what the team accomplished this season will long be remembered at the school. The Bison fell 40-18 at East St. Louis in the second round of the Class 7A state playoffs. "I've never experienced a team sport where everyone is as close as we...

At the end of the Class 3A state meet, Libertyville coach Bill Etnyre sought out his top runner, Melissa Manetsch. The Wildcats senior completed the Class 3A state meet course in 16 minutes, 44 seconds, a personal record and good for an eighth-place finish. "I was so happy for her, I was not sure...

Football coaches are known for their close attention to detail and long hours of preparation. But even the most determined coaches can't account for one critical factor: The strength of the competition. This is a potentially season-altering and program-defining variable for Illinois high school coaches...

Lake Zurich scored 40 points four times during the regular season, but the Bears weren't clicking at the start of their Class 7A first-round playoff game Saturday against Schaumburg. Lake Zurich started the game with a pair of three-and-outs, then Jack Sanborn, the Wisconsin-bound running back,...

After falling to Hinsdale Central 33-21 in the first round of the Class 8A playoffs on Saturday, Stevenson football players weren't quite ready to think about next season. But the young Patriots gained valuable experience, particularly on offense, that should serve them well in 2018. That experience...

Hinsdale Central junior linebacker Aidan Cruickshank chose a great time to play the game of his life. The Red Devils had suffered tough losses in the first round of the Class 8A football playoffs the past two years. Cruickshank's big plays helped ensure it didn't happen again as 11th-seeded Hinsdale...

In the days after the U.S. men's soccer team lost at Trinidad and Tobago, and thus failed to qualify for the 2018 World Cup, many television analysts and fans had discussions centered around the topic of youth development. Many people asked why the U.S. has not been able to infuse its young players...

Stevenson alumnus Jalen Brunson, a 6-foot-3 junior guard on the Villanova men's basketball team, was named the Big East Preseason Player of the Year on Oct. 18. Last season, Brunson averaged 14.1 points and 4.1 assists per game as the Wildcats went 32-4 and win the Big East regular-season and tournament...

Buffalo Grove senior Zack Sheasby's first time playing cornerback led to another first Friday night at Rolling Meadows: His first interception this season. Sheasby's 22-yard touchdown reception with 5 minutes, 37 seconds left capped the Bison's late comeback. Two minutes later, Sheasby intercepted...

All appeared to be lost for the Stevenson girls tennis team on Friday. The Patriots, who qualified two singles players and two doubles teams for the Class 2A state meet, had no players still in contention for a state title Saturday at Buffalo Grove. Senior singles player Zoe Taylor and both doubles...

Class 8A No. 31 Glenbrook South (5-4) at No. 2 Barrington (9-0), 7 p.m. Friday No one has been able to stop quarterback Ray Niro, whose dual-threat play keeps opposing defenses guessing. The Broncos' defense isn't quite as lofty but has got the job done every week. The Titans have enjoyed a resurgence...

Buffalo Grove 22, Rolling Meadows 16 Buffalo Grove senior Zack Sheasby's first time playing cornerback led to another first Friday night at Rolling Meadows: His first interception this season. Sheasby's 22-yard touchdown reception in the fourth quarter with 5 minutes, 37 seconds left capped the Bison's...

Warren vs. Stevenson at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 20. See if your team made our top 20 rankings for Week 9. Find and watch the best high school sports content live on The Cube. Follow your favorite schools in the area or around the country to get alerts anytime a sporting event is live as well as view any...

Maine South graduate Nick Leongas, a freshman quarterback on the Johns Hopkins football team, helped the Division III Blue Jays keep winning when their starting quarterback went down with an injury. Leongas ran for 117 yards on nine carries and scored two rushing touchdowns in a 41-10 victory against...

After Oak Park and River Forest District 200 received a letter in the mail Friday that threatened violence at the high school's homecoming dance, a sweep of the football stadium was performed that same afternoon ahead of the homecoming game. While school officials said they worked with federal,...

With only three goals allowed in conference play, stout defense was certainly instrumental as the Buffalo Grove boys soccer team ended the regular season on a 13-game unbeaten streak. But the offense was equally important in driving the Bison to the Mid-Suburban East title. That's where forwards...

The Barrington girls golf team's goal was clear all season: Get back to state and do better than last year. The Fillies didn't quite best their finish from 2016, but that would have been difficult given that they were the Class 2A runners-up. Instead, they claimed another second-place trophy by...

Holding his putter just off the 13th green on Saturday, Jackson Bussell knew he needed a late charge at The Den at Fox Creek Golf Course in Bloomington. The Stevenson junior sized up a birdie putt he said was at least 90 feet away, if not more. If he made it, it would be the longest putt he'd ever...

BLOOMINGTON — Stevenson junior Jackson Bussell's calm approach belied his burning intensity. After shooting an even par-36 on the front nine Saturday at the Class 3A state golf meet, Bussell had to go lower to remain in contention for the individual title. Stevenson coach John Rueth challenged...

The Indiana men's soccer team is undefeated and No. 1 among Division I programs, as ranked by United Soccer Coaches, and three local graduates have helped the Hoosiers earn their national recognition. Hinsdale Central alumnus Andrew Gutman, a junior defender, ranks second on the team with five goals....

Tamala Reed said she would like to write a book one day after her son's recruitment to play college basketball. Her son, former Evanston standout Nojel Eastern, was recruited by many of the top programs in the country before committing to Purdue last November. Reed said she was never offered any...

The Stevenson girls golf team finally returned to the state party. Hailing from a school with multiple state appearances in a number of sports in recent years, the Patriots shot a 328 at Monday's Class 2A Barrington Sectional. The Patriots, comprised of mostly underclassmen, placed third to advance...

The Buffalo Grove backfield sustained hit after hit in Friday's loss at Hersey. Star running back Tom Trieb was limited to a few snaps — and only at linebacker — due to a back injury he suffered against Elk Grove in Week 6. Backup Tyler Abdishi left the game with an injury on a wheel route, while...

There's a lot to consider when trying to pinpoint why Jean-Marc Etienne's transition to varsity football has been so smooth. The Stevenson sophomore running back certainly has the physical skills, and he has also proven more than capable of handling the mental aspect of the sport. And he's not afraid...

Stevenson doubles partners Katherine Harvey and Elizabeth Ferdman have displayed complementary skill sets — and personalities — on the tennis court. Harvey, a senior, and Ferdman, a junior, did not lose a set in three matches to take first place at the North Suburban Conference tournament on Friday....

Lake Zurich 28, Stevenson 0 Lake Zurich took command of the North Suburban Conference title race Friday night with a shutout victory in Lincolnshire. The Bears' defense stole the show, notching its third shutout in the past five games and collecting four turnovers in the process. On the other side...

Lake Zurich vs. Stevenson at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 6. See if your team made our top 20 rankings for Week 7. Find and watch the best high school sports content live on The Cube. Follow your favorite schools in the area or around the country to get alerts anytime a sporting event is live as well as view...

Elmhurst native Kylie Bowman has had a hot foot lately for the Trinity International women's soccer team. Bowman, a senior forward for the Trojans, scored twice in a 6-1 win against Roosevelt on Oct. 4. She also recorded a goal and an assist on Sept. 26 in a 4-1 victory against Holy Cross (Ind.)....

Two years after an injury derailed her freshman season, Stevenson junior Natalie Sorenson is making the most of her time as a distance runner. Sorenson was among the Patriots who ran Sept. 23 at the Palatine Invitational at Deer Grove Forest Preserve. In 90-degree temperatures, Sorenson ran a personal-best...

Senior Justin Gold is playing his third year of varsity football at Buffalo Grove. His teammate, junior Carlos Salgado, is playing in only his second year of organized football. Yet Gold and Salgado have meshed well on Buffalo Grove's defensive line. The two defensive ends, both from Wheeling, have...

A lot has to go right for a defense to hold five of its first six opponents to 10 points or fewer. Stevenson has accomplished the feat, and coach Josh Hjorth has liked a lot of what he's seen on that side of the ball. Despite his widespread satisfaction, Hjorth has been particularly impressed with...

Lake Forest boys golf coach Jim Matheson is in an enviable position this fall. Regardless of weather or course conditions, he has a lineup full of golfers who all can post a low score. "I love this group for its total variety," Matheson said. "I feel like any course will suit a few of them." At the...

Rolling Meadows 42, Prospect 24 On a night of explosive plays, Rolling Meadows rallied from a three-point deficit to avoid an upset on Thursday night in Mount Prospect. After Jimmy Martin found Matt Neal for a 51-yard touchdown pass to give Prospect a 24-21 lead with 3 minutes, 54 seconds left in...

Elmhurst native Wesley Becton was named Co-Defensive Player of the Week in the New England Small College Athletic Conference on Sept. 18. Becton, a St. Joseph graduate, is a senior linebacker at Division III Middlebury College in Vermont. He dominated in the Panthers' 30-27 win against Wesleyan...

For the record, Stevenson senior Matt Schawel is 1-0 in career playoffs. Competing in the North Suburban Meet on a warm, windy Tuesday at Willow Glen Golf Club in North Chicago, the Schawel beat Lake Forest senior Scott Frevert in a one-hole playoff for the individual conference title. Schawel's...

When the IHSA announced in June that it was ending its performance-enhancing drug testing program after nearly a decade, it was, to an extent, old news. Not a single high school student-athlete in Illinois had been tested during the two academic years prior to the announcement, according to IHSA...

The high school golf season is more compact than any other varsity sports campaign. Boys and girls golf teams have about six weeks to play all of their regular-season matches before the conference tournament and state series begin. And for the past six weeks, the Stevenson girls team has dominated....

Hitting the weight room is part of the offseason routine for just about every high school football team. Buffalo Grove was no different, but the Bison also hit the books. Specifically, Ohio State coach Urban Meyer's book, "Above the Line." For scores of Buffalo Grove football players, analyzing pages...

The Chicago Tribune suburban sports department has teamed up with The Cube to present the rankings of the top 20 high school football teams in the Chicago area. See last week's rankings here. With records and previous rankings: 1. Lincoln-Way East 5-0 (1) Last week: Defeated Lincoln-Way Central...

Buffalo Grove 21, Prospect 7 Buffalo Grove remained unbeaten with a home win against Prospect on Friday night in the Mid-Suburban East opener for both squads. The Bison (5-0, 1-0) became playoff-eligible and are one win away from guaranteeing their first playoff berth since 2003. Junior halfback Tom...

Joey Stutzman had a quiet night, by his standards anyway. The two-way standout for Lake Zurich was held to 47 yards on 20 rushes, but he did score twice. And his final carry gave Lake Zurich an epic 41-35 North Suburban win over host Warren in double overtime. Evan Lewandowski passed for 305 yards...

Notre Dame alumnus Chris James, a 5-foot-10, 219-pound running back for Wisconsin, had his first 100-yard rushing performance on Sept. 9 against Florida Atlantic. James had 16 carries for 101 yards, including a 19-yard scamper in the first quarter. He and freshman Jonathan Taylor spearheaded the...

St. Viator athletic director Martin Jennings fondly recalled Joe Ryback's profound care for his baseball players, as well as his ability to stand out in a crowd. Ryback, an assistant baseball coach at St. Viator and an assistant football coach at Wauconda, died unexpectedly on Saturday. He was...